Aquatrek instructor Daragh Mathews nominated for prestigious award

Aquatrek are proud to announce that one of their instructors has been nominated for the prestigious award – ‘ISA Instructor of the Year’ by the Irish Sailing Association. Daragh Mathews has been chosen from a distinguished field by the ISA and is now in the last 5 nominees.

Daragh Mathews

The ISA is the national governing body for watersports including sailing, windsurfing, motor-boating and yachting in Ireland. Their role includes administering training and certification schemes as well as providing support to licensed training centres and clubs around the country on behalf of the government. They also manage and support our olympic sailing teams. Daragh has long been involved in watersports, learning to sail while away on family holidays as a child. Later he brought his skills to fruition as a student at Aquatrek in Youghal, where he completed the ISA Training Scheme and went on to become an instructor at the age of 17. Daragh is studying medicine in college but frequently volunteers to deliver coaching to keen young sailors on Saturdays and during school holidays. Originally nominated for this award by parents of past students at Aquatrek, he shows a warm and caring attitude towards his charges and always behaves in a professional, fair and sporting manner. In what spare time he has left Daragh is a member of the local lifeboat crew and acted as secretary to the group who worked hard to ‘Save Youghal Ambulance’ last year. He was forced to combine all his skills in the summer of 2012 when volunteering one day as an instructor with Aquatrek, he became aware that a man had fallen overboard from a boat and was at risk of drowning in Youghal Harbour. He immediately and instinctively sped to the mans’ assistance using the Aquatrek safetyboat and promptly recovered the gentleman for the water – thereby undoubtedly saving his life as he wasn’t wearing a lifejacket and was unable to swim. Aquatrek is a Sailing, Cruising and Powerboat Training Centre delivering training to leisure and professional mariners including commercial skipper certification for working abroad. We also run sailing holidays on luxury yachts during the summer in the Med. Prices are very competitive and destinations include Croatia, Greece and Spanish Islands… full details can be seen at www.aquatrek.ie The winner will be announced at the ISA Annual Awards Ball in Dublin on March 2nd…. Best of luck to Daragh from all in Youghal!

Published on Feb 10, 2013
Advanced Powerboat Coastal Navigation & Pilotage Trip from Youghal to Cork on Sat 9th Feb 13. To the right is Roches Point Lighthouse and they went past the Charter Boat ‘John Boy’ from Cobh seen to port before turning onto the leading light for the East Channel.